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La Mano Nera
La Mano Nera - Approved MC Faction Version 4.0.0 06/05/10 OOC Mission Statement: "We strive to connect as many factions, across as many Midian RP Sims, as possible (be it as allies, enemies or business partners) in order to provide the widest net of role play we can so that groups/people who may have never interacted are given a chance to. Further, we seek to maintain an extremely high quality of role play (no matter its form), prevent and/or remove any OOC drama that may appear, and remain always within the rules of Midian City and Linden Labs." ---- “Knowing a great deal is not the same as being smart; intelligence is not information alone but also judgment, the manner in which information is collected and used” ''-Dr. Carl Sagan'' What is La Mano Nera? La Mano Nera in One Sentence An underground criminal organization dedicated to the precepts of family and secrecy in order to manipulate and/or guide events to benefit their ultimate goals of attaining wealth, power and mutual protection within the city of Midian. (Italian Mafia) La Mano Nera in Brief La Mano Nera was founded for the purpose of acting as a control among the endless chaos by attempting to take over large sections of the underground markets (drugs, human trafficking, illegal arms/tech, etc) so that they can financially back their efforts to manipulate the city (Midian) and thus further their personal goals. They achieve this by connecting to as many of the established factions as possible to form strategic alliances that allow them additional resources/options/influence while never showing their complete hand. In order to cover their actions beneath the surface they have acquired several businesses, made numerous legal stock purchases, and invest in almost everything they possibly can. Ultimately, this provides them with an umbrella of protection against those who might seek to undo them in any 'legal' means. Almost all the members of LMN will have worked for one of these businesses at some point, were sponsored in by a current member or were scouted for their talents. The staple that makes La Mano Nera work is secrecy and family, both of which are heavily reinforced. It is an organization that firmly believes in two things; That a group which works together efficiently and has a vested interest in their comrades survival is far more effective than any manner of loose cooperation or affiliation, and that keeping their questionable actions under the radar provides the maximum mobility in order to achieve their desired goals. The Goal in Detail The goal of La Mano Nera is to act as a discrete power which guides Midian where they want it to go in order to attain the greatest wealth and power possible for the family. Part of this goal includes wanting to buy stock in, or portions of, as many companies and organizations as possible in order to expand their power base and resources considerably. Alternatively, displays of force and violence may be used in order to claim and control 'territory' inside Midian. Please note, that La Mano Nera only wants power to control -Midian- and in no way will ever seek an overthrow of the World Union or any of its branches. Wanting only to control their city of choice, only using 'Mainland' connections as a means to facilitate greater wealth or receive the necessary products with which they can continue to expand their empire in Midian. Making It Happen The big thing with La Mano Nera is that we try to role play out every single detail of everything we import, make or receive. This means we try and create a plotline for absolutely everything we do, and try to involve as many people from as many factions as we can in the process, because lets face it... things are easily a hundred times more fun when you get to play from the edge of your seat with people you may not already know, and who have interests that may be distinctly different than your own. It also makes sure things don't always go our way while keeping things fresh, fun and exiting. The enemy in RP is just as important as the friend, and there is no fun in winning unless it was a struggle to get there. The People of La Mano Nera In order to become a member of La Mano Nera the character, and the player behind the character, must adhere to certain expectations. In-Character Requirements 1. Must show a willingness to be "the bad guy" by being aggressive and ruthless when it comes to accomplishing set goals. Finesse and tact are of course nice, but this isn't a little girls club, unless you can hold your own and laugh death in the face when the situation comes around you probably don't belong here. Keep in mind, this doesn't necessarily mean violence. 2. The ability to keep information secret is absolutely essential as we consider the inner workings of La Mano Nera on par with the Masquerade maintained by the vampires. 3. While we will allow for people of any race, including mechs and vampires, we don't cater to any 'invincible' or 'invulnerable' individuals. If swords can't pierce your skin, if you can sustain 100 bullets without death, be cut in half and put back together, and/or have no known weaknesses... we can't use you. La Mano Nera has to have some element of risk in order to have fun, and we are quite happy relying on the 'family unit' for support instead of super advanced powers/tech. 4. Under normal circumstances we do not allow an individual to be a part of multiple factions as we want the focus of your role play to be on us, not someone else. This may sound a bit selfish and... it is. If you want to RP with us, RP with us and don't leave us hanging by splitting up your time. That's not fair to us or the other faction. Notable exceptions involve any players required to be by sim rules, such as vampires, or those individuals on intelligence/reconnaissance missions. Businesses/jobs do not count as factions, and we do encourage our members to have fun role playing out legitimate jobs as well. 5. The character must show the ability to take initiative and not simply sit back and wait for orders, and this goes for the player as well. Orders and missions will be given out, but just standing around like a post waiting for them doesn't do anyone any good. Be ballsy, get proper consent and set up an RP to benefit our group, or go find yourself a rival and prove your character can take them on. 6. Unless you want to end up kicked to teh curb, prove you're strong enough to handle Midian; be tough. We don't mean you have to stand around and swear, spit, and be generally unfriendly... that's bad for business. Rather, the character needs to be able to stick up for themselves and their friends/family. Out of Character Requirements 1. We expect the player to have time to play his or her character at least once a week unless there are special circumstances that have been brought to the faction leader. We are an active group of people and things move fast. 2. The player must show a strong understanding (through their character) of the various concepts and rules governing RP, including combat. Further, they must demonstrate literary skills which allow for the clear transfer of information during a scene. 3. We expect all our members to understand that we are not just another shoot-em up group. Yes, we can cater to a lot of violence, but we also want fully developed 'people' in our faction with frequent social RP, not just a gun and a bad attitude. 4. The player must understand that La Mano Nera and its associated businesses have the right to decline any applicants if they have demonstrated negative, drama-causing, or otherwise poor behavior in Midian prior to them submitting an application. 5. Players must consent to having their character undergo a series of tests/trials before officially joining La Mano Nera. These tests are done on an IC level to prove if a character is or is not acceptable to the current La Mano Nera members. These may include situations of conflict, problem solving, checking trust, etc. depending largely on the characters area of skill. 6. If you are seeking entrance to La Mano Nera as a spy, mole, or other infiltrator you must contact the faction leader and get consent for the role play. The player must consent in advance to suffer the consequences if caught, otherwise the role play will not be permitted. 7. The player must demonstrate, through good RP, an ability to lose gracefully in a combat situation. La Mano Nera Perks • Mutual Protection Thanks to the family-structure and alliances formed by La Mano Nera its members are protected by unseen guns at almost all times. Further, family members are firmly committed to the protection of one another, and never leave a man (or woman) behind. • Financial Benefits Thanks to its ever expanding markets La Mano Nera pays its members ludicrously well, allowing them to live comfortably. The higher an individuals rank, the more money they make, and the greater share of spoils they enjoy. • Connections La Mano Nera prides itself on its numerous connections, and the things those connections provide them. Normally if you need it, we have someone who can get it at a quarter of the price the other guy can. • Expansion/Room for Growth Due to rapid expansion there is a great deal of room to grow, offering many opportunities to those who show drive and leadership capabilities. Joining La Mano Nera 1. Express your interest to join La Mano Nera by filling out the appropriate LMN application form which is available in-world, you may also choose to express interest by coming into contact with a "made man" of the family or the Faction Leader (Marquis Denimore). 2. You must meet the IC and OOC minimum requirements detailed in section 2 of this guide. 3. You will be put through several RP tests designed to challenge the character. It will focus on assuring their loyalty, abilities, and dedication to the family. 4. Assuming all the tests are passed, you will be invited to a meeting and will be offered a position within the family. Internal Structure Changed slightly from the original concepts of extreme security and shadow casting the LMN ranks have been modified to promote gender equality and a clearer definition of the family structure. This has been done because of the concept of 'beauty in simplicity', and it has been decided that by using the system originally used by the Sicilians in the 1940's and onwards we better connect to those same roots in the game world. The LMN ranks are broken down in the exact same fashion as the old Sicilian Mafia which was first formed in the eastern United States. They are lead by a Don (in this case called the Comandante), with a Consigliere who advises him/her and Underbosses who oversee the operations in specific regions. Bellow these Underbosses are a maximum of two Capo for each Underboss who take charge of sections of land, specific operations, and other smaller scale things within that Underbosses region as needed. Of course the Capo also take direct charge of the Soldato, which is the most common rank of 'made (wo)men', and thusly they make up the backbone and primary strength of the family. However before one can become a 'made (wo)man' they must first serve as an Associate who is watched and trained to be a successful member of the family. The official rank break down is as follows; Comandante (Faction Leader) |---Consigliere (Faction Second) Underboss | Capo | Soldato | Associate *'Please note that the unlisted rank of 'Medico' does exist only as a supplementary title for those members of the family who are responsible for its medical and/or science needs. However this rank does not official exist and these players are still bound within the general structure of the family. For example a Medico who is also a Capo has more clout than a Medico who is only a Soldato. Gear, Equipment and Tech "Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive one; it is man and not materials that counts" ''-Mao Tse-Tung La Mano Nera above all is a family, and in that line of work, it is the people not the equipment that makes the difference in how things turn out. We will make use of -some- high end technology as it is necessary to stay sharp, but overall we will be making use of more average equipment. Remember, staying under the radar is the goal, and some sort of ultra blaster weapon is going to lead back to us so fast heads would spin. '''Weapons • We limit our RP to projectile weaponry (weapons which fire bullets propelled by powder charges) that fit within the limits of the current tech level in Midian. Under no circumstances do we allow energy weapons unless you have a solid RP reason for its existence and prior approval from a senior admin. It is highly recommended that weapons chosen come with the ability to equip a silencer or other legitimate noise reduction device for specialty scenes; after all, the mob doesn't want people always knowing who they're killing. • We do not want to draw attention to ourselves so rifles, assault rifles, shotguns or other large arms are meant for specific operations only and should not be carried on a regular basis. Smaller arms like submachine guns are acceptable for everyday visible carry only if they fire low caliber bullets, however pistols are highly preferred. If in doubt, contact the faction lead or second. • We are not a major military operation and function on stealth and precision over raw firepower, so heavy machine guns or other belt fed weapons are not allowed unless approved by the faction leader, and only for that specific scene/mission. • Sniper rifles used by us employ the .338 Lapua Magnum round over the traditional 7.62mm, particularly because the .338 has proven greater long range effectiveness and accuracy. In order to promote better street-level RP in Midian we will make no use of any .50 caliber bullets unless required for a specific scene. Always check with the faction leader before using such bullets. • All side arms should be able to fire a .45 caliber bullet or lower. We allow only semi-automatic side arms/ Armour • All La Mano Nera members must have a full suit of "tactical" armour for special events. This means a body suit and mask which completely conceal ones identity. However we do NOT want to see any extreme leaps of technology. A synthetic body suit, kevlar over layer and helmet (with or without regulator) is the average expectation. Some -minor- tech is allowed, but we don't make use of any super advanced gadgetry which could not conceivably exist in the Midian universe. As a rule of thumb, ask an admin or the faction leader before you implement tech. Please also keep in mind that these suits are for use ONLY when given the okay by the faction leader or second for specific events; everyday wear (the bullet point bellow) is the normal expectation. • Everyday wear is at the discretion of the individual in terms of clothing, though we recommend a basic kevlar under-layer or general protection. These items are generally meant to stop minor slash wounds and prevent lethal injury from small caliber weapons. They will not however outright stop a bullet or turn away the impact of a knife point. We also recommend the "dress to impress" motto as La Mano Nera is a mafia, looking "higher class" after one achieves the Soldato rank is appreciated (though not necessary). General • Weapons must either be visibly carried or mentioned on a titler. Please remember to help reduce lag by removing "invisible weapons" when you're not using them. • You are responsible for all your weapons and equipment costs, so if you ever doubt the tech level of something you should ASK before purchasing. We will not feel compelled to allow you to use normally unapproved items simply because you paid for them. Role Play Rules The following consists of the "general rules" that we expect all members of La Mano Nera to abide by. Repeated failure to comply with these rules will result in ejection from the group and any further actions deemed necessary. 1) Its said a lot, but it can never really be said enough; Consent is King. Before beginning any scene of extreme violence, rape or espionage try to remember and IM the other player for consent. If you plan to do anything at all of a violent nature in another Faction HQ you absolutely MUST have approval from that factions leader PRIOR to doing the scene. 2) It is your responsibility to read and comply with all sim rules and technology restrictions. Remember when in doubt, ask an admin or faction leader. 3) In combat situations posts should be confined to what others could see or perceive, and not used as a means to "godmod" insults by what your character is thinking. Something like, "/me laughs at the last comment, grinning darkly" is acceptable, where as "/me wonders how much of a f*cken idiot the man is and hopes he dies" is not. Use common sense and remember the other character has a player behind the screen too. 4) If you have an OOC issue, take it to an IM and do NOT broadcast it over any public means; be it local chat, Midian City chat, or the forums. If the issue can't be resolved between the players, end the conversation and contact an admin. Be prepared to give logs if asked. 5) Observe good combat etiquette whenever in such a scene. Post what you intend to do and allow your opponent determine the effects. Make sure that you not only give hits, but take some as well, there is no such thing as a fight where one person blocks every blow that comes their way. In large scenes always use post order and patiently wait your turn, it makes things easier and more fun for everyone. 6) In-Character communications done through a technological means (cell phone, radio, walkie-talkie, etc) should also be added to ones post in local chat if the characters in the surrounding area could reasonably be expected to overhear. If your character could not be overheard, and you are in IC contact with someone out of scene, it should be made clear in local chat. For example, "/me whispers something softly into the mic". Other characters may choose to act differently if they could reasonably expect to be aware you have been in contact with someone else. 7) Avoid OOC responses to other peoples IC actions. This is completely inappropriate and unnecessarily kills the RP. If there is a concern, refer to Role Play Rule #2. 8) If you have alts in other groups/factions, you should never have information being passed between your characters that could have accusations of metagaming coming back on La Mano Nera. La Mano Nera does engage in acts of espionage but ONLY with the appropriate CONSENT from the other player, group or faction. Metagaming is cause for immediate removal from La Mano Nera. 9) If another player wants out of a scene, for any reason, allow it and do your best to work out a compromise that allows the scene to end and preserves the RP. Category:Factions